TheScottish immigrantsfrom the southern states of Usa had a custom of deep frying chicken in fat and even prior to this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The immigrants from Scotland would often work, live and eat with the African slaves and this lead to the Africans adding some extra spices to the procedure anddevelopingtheir own presentationof crispy fried chicken. These Africans later became thecooksin many a Southern American home where crispy fried chicken became a universal staple. They also learned that it transported well inwarmweather conditions in the times before refrigeration was commonplace so was enjoyed on almost a daily basis as they went to the cotton fields to work. Since, it has become the region’s go-tofor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a male known as James Boswell who wrote ajournalin 1773 named “diary of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his log he noted that at mealtime the local folks would eat fricassee of fowl which he went on to say “crispy deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he in reality heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not deep-fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.
The very true origins of crispy fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known procedure for crispy fried chicken in English is stashed in one of the most eminent cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of culinary Made Plain and Easy. Her procedure had a strange name known as “To Marinate Chickens” which was first in print in 1747. The book was a hit in the England and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original mix...
Cut two chickens into quarters; marinate them in vinegar for 3-4 hours with pepper, salt, bay and a few cloves. Make a very thick batter first with ½ pint of wine and flour then the yolks of two eggssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together well, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a excellent deal of hogs lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of bronze incolour and place them on your bowl with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and a first-class gravy. Nowadays, we have swapped out the hog fat with Rapeseed oil which features nearly zero trans fats and we use a brine of buttermilk and salt to season our chicken throughout. It’s amazing to think how far this formula has walked worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
